Cold Flames
by DragonFlyer9
Summary: The Guardians are immortal defenders united to make sure the children of the world are safe and protected. But with halloween on the horizon and a new evil out for revenge on a certain spirit, the guardians now have to work together to keep not only the children safe, but each other as well. (Sequel to Frost and Flame)
1. Growing Up

**This is my sequel to my first Rise of the Guardians story, Frost and Flame. **

* * *

A loud screech was released from the demon's bloodstained jaws. At once, the warrior unsheathed his sword from his scabbard and leapt at the monstrous beast. He swung his weapon out at its limbs. The demon extended its torn wings and rose into the sky. The warrior would not let it escape. As its body lifted into the air, his silver blade struck its leg. It shrieked in pain. Aggravated, its jaw dislocated to expel the dripping ball of venom that had built up in the acids of its stomach. But the armour-clad man was quick, leaping to the side and rolling out of its path. A second fighter stood beside him as he jumped back to his feet. The demon soared down towards the two of them with its clawed arms outstretched. The first was able to dodge again, diving for cover on the ground before flipping himself over and driving his sword into the belly of the monster. The other warrior wasn't so fortunate in his outcomes. The demon's claw ripped right through his chest and out his back, his scarcely still beating heart penetrated and dangling from the ends of its hand. The monster, with its abdomen slashed open, fell to the ground. Blood of both warrior and demon bathed the grass beneath them. The other fighter pulled himself to his feet, standing over the gory mess. His head rose slowly from the scene to stare straight ahead of him.

_Level Succeeded — First Player Wins_

The voiceover sounded. Jamie jumped into the air, a controller firmly in his grip. He shouted in glee, proud of his victorious achievement. Pippa rolled her eyes from where she lay on the ground on top of multiple pillows. The two of them were in Jamie's living room.

"Show-off" she muttered, flinging her controller aside and getting to her feet. Jamie turned to her, a roguish grin gracing his lips.

"Aw come on Pip, don't be a sore loser."

"Whatever" she refused to be offended by his remark. "It's a stupid game anyway. Completely unrealistic." Jamie couldn't help but laugh.

"Not everything has to be realistic" he pointed out as he headed over to the console and took out the scratched disc. He placed it back in its casing, throwing it down in amongst all the other game cases scattered across the carpet. "Besides, Raid Undead IV is the best game ever."

Pippa scoffed. "Yeah right. It's way too violent, not to mention sexist."

"No it isn't."

"Oh yeah? Name one character that's female in the game" she challenged. Jamie opened his mouth to respond, before thinking over the question. He struggled to find an answer. Pippa was clearly proud for having proved herself correct.

"I rest my case." Jamie wasn't sure whether he was annoyed at her wise guy attitude or partially impressed that she was able to show him up. She had always been a bit of a smart aleck, but part of him knew that was one of the reasons why he liked her. He gave up trying to convince her.

"Fine you've proved your point. What do you want to play next?" Pippa was walking over to where her shoulder bag hung from the back of a chair. Jamie watched as she removed several books from inside of it. She tossed him one.

"As enjoyable as I find being beaten," she said sarcastically, "We have to study. We have our final exams next week in case you've forgotten." Jamie moaned, slumping down into the couch. Pippa giggled at his reaction.

"Come on, it's not that bad."

"Easy for you to say. You get straight A's. I hate studying" he complained. Pippa sat down next to him, tucking the strands of hair behind her left ear and opening up her book.

"Keep up that attitude and you'll never get into college." Jamie pouted, flicking the pages of the English text book she had given him. He sulked for a few minutes more before the two of them fell into silence.

After about twenty minutes of studying, Jamie shut his book. His neck strained backwards and allowed his head to sink into the back of the sofa. His groaned loudly. Pippa flashed him a quick glance before returning her attention to what she was reading. Jamie stretched his arm out across the cushion, twisting his body around to face her.

"Hey, what are you planning on going as on Saturday?" he asked her. She looked up, tilting her head to the side.

"For Halloween" he clarified. Pippa raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"Halloween? You can't be serious" She tried not to laugh as she read his expression and discovered he wasn't kidding around. "Jamie we're sixteen. Surely you don't intend on dressing up for such a ridiculous occasion?"

"Why not?" he argued. "I take Soph out trick-or-treating every year; it's fun. Besides, Claude and Caleb have invited us all to their Halloween party. Aren't you going?"

"Of course I'm going, assuring I've completed my study." Jamie shook his head in disbelief. He reached over and shut her book, much to Pippa's annoyance.

"You need to learn to relax, Pip. Have some fun."

"Can't say I don't agree with that." The two of them spun around to see Jack hovering outside the partly opened window. Jamie smiled at the sight of his friend. He hurried over and opened the window up completely to let him in. Jaz was close behind him. Pippa came over, greeting her friend.

"Wow" Jaz exclaimed at the sight of her believers. "You guys are getting tall." She wasn't kidding. It had been months since either Jaz or Jack had seen them. Pippa was about the same height as Jaz. She was slim, as she had always been, and her body had developed well over the years. Her reddish-brown hair was layered and came down a bit past her shoulders. Part of her hair streaked across the corner of her right eye. She still wore the white cap she had when she was a child, only she wore it so less of her forehead was covered. Her cheeks were rosy to complement her pale complexion. She had indeed become a very beautiful young woman. Jamie had only just overtaken her in height. His hair style remained similar to how it was when he was younger, just slightly longer and less neat.

Jack leant on his staff, his gaze fixed on Pippa. "What's this I hear about you not having fun?"

"Yeah," Jamie put in. "Loosen up."

"You can't act like a child forever, Jamie" she snapped. "Life isn't all fun and games. The sooner you learn that the better." She frowned and shoved her way past Jamie into the kitchen. He gave Jack a look of confusion. Jaz went after her.

"Pippa," she called to her friend. Pippa turned back, sighing gently as she saw it was only her.

"He needs to grow up" she growled under her breath. "All he does is play video games, have snowball fights and treat life like it's one big joke."

Jaz smirked. "He's grown up under the influence of Jack Frost. What did you expect?" She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Listen, I might not be the Guardian of Fun, but that's not to say I can't give you a piece of advice on the subject. As much as I'd hate to have to side with Jack, he does have a point. You need to find a balance in your life, and that includes having enjoyment." Pippa did not seem at all impressed by her friend's counsel. When Jaz saw that, she decided to go about it another way.

"Try going to the Halloween party. I think you'll find it will do you good." Pippa sighed again, figuring she wouldn't be getting out of there on her terms. She begrudgingly nodded. Jaz was pleased to see her do so. The two of them headed back out to where the boys were waiting.

10 year old Sophie came into the living room, jolting to a sudden stop when she caught sight of Jaz and Jack there. After a moment of shock, she smiled brightly. She ran up and hugged Jaz who was closest to her. Jaz knelt down and hugged her back. Jamie had been certain to keep up both his own and his sister's faith in all the Guardians. Of course, Bunny was still Sophie's favourite.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, looking to Jack. He shrugged with a smile.

"Just dropping by. So are you excited for Halloween?" Sophie nodded hysterically.

"Yeah! Mum said this year I can stay out until an hour after dark" She seemed very excited about the opportunity that was being given to her.

"That's great Soph."

Jaz's eye caught sight of the clock hanging on the wall adjacent to them. She exchanged a brief glance with Jack. They both knew what it meant.

"We have to go" Jack was sad to tell them. The three believers looked disappointed.

"Sorry but North will kill us if we're late" Jaz agreed, her gaze flickering to Jack.

"He starts to get really on edge this time of year" Jack whispered to them. He turned to Jaz and the two of them waved their farewells before catching the wind back to the Pole. A sulk grew on Jamie's face once they were gone.

"They never stay longer than half an hour anymore" he muttered. Pippa looked sympathetically at him.

"It's not their fault" she reminded him. "As Guardians, they have a job to do. Besides, we're not exactly kids anymore. Not like we're their main priority." Jamie shrugged.

"I guess you're right. I just wish we could spend time with them like we used to."


	2. Guilt

As Jack flew, he couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Having lived as long as he had, years passed without him even realizing. He felt bad for leaving Jamie. He hardly ever saw him of late. It wasn't that he didn't want to; nothing would make him happier than to have a full snow day of fun with his friend, but he didn't have the time. His responsibilities ever since he became a guardian had risen to an extent he never could have imagined. Having to bring snow to those all over the world, balancing the blizzards and snow that fell outside of his control to assure it didn't get out of hand. Not doubt about it; it was no easy task. He knew Jaz was feeling the same pressure. She too had to manage the fires that grew out of hand, mainly those caused by the humans. On top of that she needed to relight the passion of children who lost their faith _and_ bring the New Years fireworks to every major city of the world. By no means was her duty any easier than his. She didn't have time to spend with Pippa or her other believers either. He knew how much she missed seeing them. Both of them had waited centuries for this. They finally had children who believed in them and now they couldn't even enjoy it. It was times like this that they started to wonder what it would have been like if they had never joined forces with the Guardians.

Jack shook the thoughts of regret away. He was glad he became a Guardian. He certainly wouldn't take it back if he had the chance to. Whilst he wasn't entirely sure he could say the same for Jaz, he knew his eternal life was being fulfilled. The Moon chose him to be a Guardian. That was how he was going to live.

* * *

They made it to the Pole, entering in through the skylight. As they came in, Jack noticed Jaz still looking upset about having to leave the kids behind. He thought about how he could help cheer her up. The best idea he could come up with he knew would not necessarily please her, but at least it might take her mind away from Pippa.

He focused his powers and with a slight tilt of his staff he summoned a short flurry of snow directly on her. It fell, swathing her body with a light layer of white. Jaz realized immediately, glaring at Jack. He smiled innocently at her. Without even having to touch her dagger, her figure flared red with flames to melt it off. Jack stepped back, nervous of being so close to her when her temper rose. Even though she had discovered her true centre and self, she still retained her fiery personality. Every now and then it surfaced. Jack laughed cautiously, backing away.

"Jack, Jaz." He didn't think he could have thanked North enough for his timing. Jaz's flames cooled off as she turned to face him. He looked at her warily for a moment before gesturing for them to follow him. Jaz casted Jack a quick but threatening glare as she passed him to go after North. Jack breathed out in relief and trailed behind them. North led the two of them to his office. He stood before them both, thinking of how to start.

"I understand that you have been neglecting your duties as a guardian" he spoke in a stern voice. Jack and Jaz looked at each other in disbelief. Neither of them knew which of them he was directing his concerns to.

"What?" Jack questioned. North found his gaze wandering over to Jaz again. He sighed deeply.

"Jaz, would you give us a moment? I must speak with Jack alone." After some hesitation she left the room. Jack watched as she left and the door slammed shut behind her.

"North, what's going on? What do you mean I've been neglecting my duties as a guardian?"

"I find myself put in difficult position, Jack" The way North spoke only made Jack feel more tense about the unknown circumstances occurring. "It is not you I fear; it is Jaz. What I am about to tell you must not get back to her. Is that clear? The others have informed me of multiple wildfires that have been set in several different locations. The damage that has been done as a result of them is very unsettling."

"Hang on," Jack interrupted, immediately stepping in to defend his friend. "How do we know it was Jaz who created the fires? It could have been lightning or a human accident, or—"

"Jack" North cut him off before he could finish. "These fires are not of natural state. They move with a lifelike ability. From what the other Guardians have informed me of, it is as if the fire is being controlled."

"Where have they been set?" Jack queried.

"Towns along the coast of South Australia, on the outskirts of Burgess, even a few in the lesser regions of the Pole. Everywhere Jaz travels these fires have been found. I know you do not want to find guilt with her, none of us do, but if she is doing this then she must be stopped." Jack kept his head lowered the whole time he was speaking. His eyes were closed as he remembered seeing the Pole after the fire attack right before Christmas.

"The last time we accused her of arson it was Pitch who had set the fire. By blaming her we drove her right into his clutches and were almost destroyed because of it."

North wasn't convinced by Jack's argument. "We were wrong then, but this time is different. There is no other suspect that could be behind these fires. Jack, what you feel for her is obvious but I cannot stand by and allow her to perform such acts."

"If you accuse her after she was innocent the first time, she'll never speak to any of us again. I can't lose her again North" His eyes were pleading. North looked into them, seeing how desperate he seemed to be to prove her innocence. He sighed, letting his head drop.

"Very well. We will monitor her actions over the next few days and give her a chance to explain." Jack smiled at his decision. He went to leave, only to be stopped by North as he spoke again. "But Jack, if another fire is set I will have no choice but to confront her. There is no alternative. I will not have innocent lives being put at risk." Jack swallowed nervously and turned to exit. He found him gripping his staff tighter. Once outside, his breathing patterns started to increase. He trusted the Guardians wouldn't do anything to harm her; they were her family too. Yet knowing that didn't make him feel any better about things the way they were. North was right, with Pitch gone who else could have caused them other than the spirit of fire herself?

He looked around for where she was. The corridors leading down to North's private place of work were empty. He called out for her but was answered by silence. He hated when she just disappeared like that. Regardless of being annoyed that she had once again vanished, he was concerned as to why. What if she had overheard them speaking about her? That would certainly be a good enough reason for her to leave without warning. Another reason lingered in the back of his mind. He tried to keep it from concealed but there was no way of stopping it from emerging to the centre of his thoughts. What if Jaz had left because she was actually guilty?

He loathed himself for having to do this, but it was better North found out now through him rather than discovering her absence himself. He pushed his way back into the room with much regret. North looked over his shoulder as he entered again.

"Jaz is gone."


	3. Northern Lights

**Feels like forever since my last update and I'm only on chapter 3. That's just sad...**

* * *

"She's gone?" North bellowed. It was evident he was worried, not just because of the recent and unidentified fires but because he cared about her. "How can this be?" Jack wasn't too sure if he was straight up asking or if it was a rhetorical question.

"With that snow globe you gave her?" Jack guessed. He was trying to lighten to mood and redirect some of the stress being placed on North. He turned his head sharply, expectant of Jack for an actual motive as to why she was gone. Jack rethought his methods.

"Look, she probably left for another reason. Whether you believe me or not, I know for a fact that she takes her responsibilities very seriously, even before she was a Guardian. If she's gone now, it has to be for a good cause." North still looked doubtful but nodded his head softly. Jack could read it from his expression; both the trust and the respect he had built for her was slowly fading away.

The two of them came out into the main area of the Pole. Jack stared up at the Globe centred in the middle, glistening with the golden lights of believers.

"What are we going to do?" he asked North quietly from where he was standing. Jack's eyes followed him as he moved over to the desk positioned in front of the railing. His hands slammed down onto the wood, his eyes shut in deep thought.

"I will call the others here" he murmured simply. His hands reached out and grabbed the lever. With the handle tight in the grip of his fist, he paused momentarily before rotating it and forcing it down. The Northern lights were exuded, flashing the skies to locate the other Guardians with its message of urgency.

Tooth flew around her Palace, giving out orders to her fairies as to which pillows hid the teeth of the world beneath them. Her excitement was everlasting and blossomed in each of her mini fairies. Baby Tooth flew up to her shoulder, pointing at something going unseen by her. Tooth recognized the river of light immediately. She wasted little time taking full flight, shooting through the sky in a blur of colours.

Bunny had seen the lights from inside his Warren. He opened up a tunnel and travelled underground to the Pole. He wasn't sure why North was calling them there but he figured it must be important. Especially given how close it was getting to Christmas. He knew just how narcissistic his old friend could become in the months leading up to his holiday.

Sandy was sending out dreams to the half of the world that was asleep when he saw them. Vivid lights flickering though the starry night sky; he was needed at the North Pole. Summoning his transportation there was easy enough. He left his cloud of dreamsand, allowing the streams flowing from it to continue his job until he had returned.

* * *

The Guardians arrived, at once questioning North and Jack as to what was going on. North quieted them down. He scanned the guardians that stood before him. All of them were present; all but one. The optimistic pyro was missing. North was not overly surprised by this, though that did not mean he wasn't disappointed that she had ignored the call. His back facing Jack, he looked to the four other Guardians in front of him.

"You all know of the fire incidents that have been arising recently" he began. The moment he spoke of the fires, Bunny stepped up to him.

"Oh no mate, I don't think so." North had already assumed he would act in this way. He was still overprotective of Jaz, even after seeing firsthand how capable she was to defend herself. He started to walk away.

"This is serious Bunny" North called after him. Bunny turned back with glaring eyes.

"You have no proof that it was her" he growled. "And if that's the only reason you called us here, then I might as well leave." The two of them met head on. "I will not have you accusing her for something she didn't do. Not again." Jack didn't think he'd ever agree with Bunny, so when he found himself feeling the exact same way about every point he raised, he wasn't sure what to do.

"I'm not accusing her" North argued fiercely. "But ask yourself this, Bunny. Where is she now then?" Bunny didn't answer. His eyes narrowed, his heart beating so loudly in his chest he was certain the others would be able to hear it. He whipped around and stormed off. North let him go. He needed his time to cool off. In the mood he was in, he'd be no help to anyone. North faced Sandy and Tooth.

"Well?" he questioned them. Tooth rubbed her arms awkwardly, her gaze occasionally flickering to Jack. He wouldn't like her response.

"There is no other explanation…" she mumbled, not looking him in the eye. Sandy lowered his head, nodding along with her. Jack was shocked. Other than the one person whom he guessed wouldn't ever get along with in a thousand years, all his friends were against him. Jack couldn't take it anymore. He gathered what wind was seeping in through the opened roof and took off. Their interrogating of Jaz even when she wasn't there; no doubt in his mind they were already settling on her sentence for this misinterpretation on their part. He didn't believe for a second that she would intentionally hurt anyone. Even before she discovered her centre, the damage she caused had always been an accident.

It didn't matter what North had said to him. They needed to speak, and he had a pretty good feeling he knew exactly where to find her.

* * *

Confused was one word for it. Jaz had no idea why North had been so insistent on them coming back to the Pole so soon, right before throwing her out in order to talk with Jack privately. None of it made sense; and what he had said to them… How were they neglecting their guardian duties? There was only one way for her to know.

Jaz stayed close to the door, seeing how much of their conversation she could make out from the other side. She could hear the muffled voices coming from inside, though it was hard to decipher exactly what was being said.

"How do we know it was Jaz who created the fires?" The familiar voice of Jack sounded. She furrowed her brow. What fire? She kept listening, hearing North speaking. There was difficulty hearing everything being said.

"Towns…South Australia…Burgess…" Jaz pulled away from the door. Could it be true? Were there fires in her place of birth, her home? She didn't want to believe it but if it was real, she had to do something. She made a move to leave, stopping herself to think things completely through. There was doubt in her mind. How would it look if North and Jack came out and found her missing? She didn't have time to dwell on her own hesitation. People could be in danger; she had to go now. They would understand. They were her friends, right? She was a Guardian now and they know she'd never do anything that would jeopardise someone else's life.

As she flew, she laughed to herself. How foolish of her to actually think they wouldn't trust her. Her days of setting wildfires were behind her. She had earned her title as a Guardian and would demonstrate just how much it meant.

* * *

The cushion in Pippa's grip tightened as she squeezed it harder watching the flames engulf the screen of her TV. She wanted to look away but could not peel her eyes from the golden nightmare being displayed in front of her.

"A state of emergency is in effect as authorities warn of an unparalleled fire emergency. Two large fires are burning throughout Lyndwood. The fire burning in the east is of most concern today as is it expected the blaze will only spread further, reaching towns further inland. Fire-fighters have spent the night building containment lines ahead of predicted windy weather. The concerns raised from authorities are attributable to the unexpectedness of the fires. Residents in the affected areas have had to be evacuated immediately." Listening to the reports on the fires only made Pippa more ill at ease. Her father worked out near Lyndwood. If she had known about the fires this morning she would have stopped him going. But like it was stated on the news, the fires had come so unexpectedly. It was autumn and cold. Her mind was able to conjure up a single explanation. Jaz Flame. Of course! She was the spirit of fire; it only made sense that she was behind the abnormal weather. There was one fault Pippa found with her theory. Why would she do this?

"Pippa, dinner's ready." Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother's voice. She turned her head away from the television and got to her feet. She made her way down the luminous hallways guiding her to the kitchen. Her mother stood behind the bench, three servings of food in front of her. She was holding a roll of cling wrap.

"What's that for?" she asked, eyeing the transparent plastic. Her mother tore off a square of it, covering the plate on the right with it. She placed the long box back into the draw it belonged in.

"That's your father's meal. It doesn't look as if he'll be joining us tonight." A small seed of hope began to grow in Pippa's heart.

"He called you?" she sounded almost too excited. Her mother gave her a bewildered and somewhat amused expression.

"No" she clarified with her daughter. "Whenever he's this late getting home from work I save him dinner." Pippa looked up at the clock. It was quarter past seven. Her heart sunk. Her mother was right. He was never home this late, especially not without calling one of them to reassure them all was find. She pulled her mobile from her pocket. No message or missed calls. With a sigh of great magnitude, she took one of the plates and brought it over to the table. Her elbow rested on the tablecloth, her fist digging into her cheek while she poked around at the food on her plate. Her mother came over and sat down opposite her.

"You do know you're supposed to eat it" she remarked, observing her daughter's interesting technique in handling her food. When Pippa didn't respond, she went for a more motherly approach. "What's gotten into you Pippa? Tell me what's on your mind." Pippa shook her away, leaning back in her chair.

"You've been watching those news reports again haven't you?" How she knew that, Pippa would never know.

"There are fires out in Lyndwood" Pippa murmured.

"And you're concerned about your father?" her mother guessed. Pippa nodded sheepishly. "Stop this worrying; you'll give yourself anxiety. Your father is a very intelligent man. He's been fire trained for this type of thing. He'll be just fine, you'll see."

Despite her mother's best attempts, Pippa's mind would not be put to rest. How could she not be scared for him? She just hoped Jaz would visit again soon, and she'd better have a good explanation.

"We're eating early" Pippa changed the subject. She hoped that in doing so, she would lessen her nerves.

"Yes because you've got that sleepover thing with Jamie." Her mother reminded her sourly. Pippa had completely forgotten about the plans she had made with her friend. She was supposed to be going over there tonight for a late night study session and Mrs Bennett had insisted that she stay for the night. "You know you really should make more of an effort to remember this type of thing."

"Oh yeah, about that…"

"Philippa Hayes, you are going. No excuses." Pippa cringed when her mother used her full name. She was the only one who ever called her by that. Pippa hated it. It sounded so uncanny for a name. Her mother usually only said her name in whole when she was being firm with her; not that that didn't count for most of the time. The relationship she had with her mother was anything but pleasant. She always expected so much of her daughter, pushing her to do well in school and balance her lifestyle in a way that satisfied her own desires. It was infuriating. That's why she preferred spending time with her dad. He was there for her when she needed him and encouraged Pippa to do what _she_ wanted to do with her life. She was able to be open with her feelings with him, even when he didn't quite understand what she was going through. She prayed he'd be ok. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him.

* * *

**I just made up Hayes as a last name for Pippa since I couldn't really think of anything else. Same goes for the town of Lyndwood. **

**The recent fires is Australia were my main inspiration for all this commotion. It's been truly devastating over here. My prayers go out to all those who have been affected. **


	4. A Fire's Ashes

Arriving in Burgess, Jaz couldn't see any fire. She inhaled the air, able to pick up the unmistakable scent of cinder. She turned to face the direction north from the town. The atmosphere around her was much stronger. That was where the fire must have been coming from. Sending a gust of wind behind her, she shot through the air. The fire's trace was quiet simple given how strong the atmosphere reeked of it. Jaz recognized the town that she was flying to. It was Lyndwood; she remembered going there with Jack a couple of years ago when he was bringing the people there snow days in the winter months.

The fires were being tended to by the time Jaz reached the town. Fire-fighters were positioned around the line of burning trees. The fire was closing in on not only this town, but Burgess as well. Her attention was drawn above the trees where a helicopter was flying, a large tanker dangling from a cable attached to it. They poured it down onto the flames. The blaze was repressed but the sudden wind assured that it would continue to spread. Jaz gritted her teeth. She summoned her own channel of hot air, soaring up above the forest. Her arms held out towards the fire, she controlled the winds below her. The fire-fighters released another tanker of water down on the forest. Jaz unsheathed her dagger and began to tame the vicious flames that were starting to engulf the houses closest to the woods. After another hour or so, the blaze was extinguished completely. Jaz landed back down on her feet and double checked everyone was alright. No one at the scene seemed to suspect they had received help. Jaz guessed that was either because she had timed her actions well enough with what they were doing to make look as if they got lucky with the unexpected wind conditions, or they were too overcome by the devastation of the fire to notice anything unusual.

Hearing that there was a fire in Burgess at this time of year alarmed Jaz. The weather was growing colder and it wouldn't be long before it started to snow. Even a human accident wouldn't have been enough to cause a proper forest fire. The wind wasn't high enough to spread it, or at least it shouldn't be. With her influence over the elements, she was certain the fire would not relight. At least it would be calm long enough for her to check on the other locations where fires had been reported. The authorities present for the emergency where she was could handle things themselves for now. Jaz had made sure the scene was completely evacuated of innocent bystanders and residents when she arrived. No one was harmed thankfully.

As she flew to Australia, she couldn't shake the feeling of concern from her mind. What if someone had been hurt? Burned alive like she had been when she was human. All because she hadn't been able to get there fast enough. The thought of being responsible for someone's death made her stomach clench. It called on the memory of how she felt when she inadvertently attended her own funeral in her early days of being a spirit. Hearing about the girl who'd died in the fire, whose body the family couldn't even bury as there was nothing left to find. It was terrible. It was one of the reasons her hatred emerged. She blamed herself, and as a result of it lost her centre. She was unable to prevent asking herself; what if it happened again? What if more than one person lost their life? What if it really was her fault this time? Jaz tried her hardest to rid herself of such confronting questions. She didn't want to know what would happen to her if the consequence of this fire was death. Going back to a life of self-hatred and despair was not an option for her.

* * *

"So do you think your father will be alright out there?" Jamie asked his friend as he set up the spare mattress in his room for her. They held opposite ends of a blanket and stretched it out to fit the portable bed. They laid the blanket over the top of its padded surface.

"I don't know" she admitted. "I'm really scared for him." Jamie looked sympathetically at her. He hated seeing her upset. He picked up the pillow from his bed and handed it to her. She took it gladly, hugging it close to her body. To him, sleeping without a pillow wasn't an issue. His mother would disagree, claiming it was bad for his neck. At a time like this though, none of that mattered. He needed to be there for his friend. They had originally planned to have the night to study, but Jamie thought it'd be best not to mention the exams coming up. The last thing Pippa needed right now was more things to stress about. He wished he could know for sure that her father was ok; that way he would be able to tell her everything would be fine without lying or making her feel worse.

He moved over to her side. He gripped the pillow back from her, placing it down on her makeshift bed. He put his arms around her. Even if he wasn't able to comfort her with his words, he knew he would be much more comforting to hug than a cold pillow. His assumption was correct. Pippa's arms wrapped around his body, her head resting on his shoulder as she tried not to let her emotions surface.

The two friends were interrupted by a knocking sound that came from Jamie's door. Mrs Bennett swung the door open. She held a phone in her hand, covering the bottom of it with her palm.

"Pippa" she spoke with a gentle voice. "Your mother's on the phone." Pippa nervously moved away from Jamie and took the phone being given to her. She pressed it against her ear.

"Hello?" she asked into it, her voice coming out much softer than she had meant it to be. She listened as her mother explained what was going on. Her head nodded, unable to say a word. Mrs Bennett took the phone back.

"Thanks for letting us know. I'll bring her there straight away." She lifted the device away from the side of her face, pressing the button to end the call. "We'll leave now. I'll get Sophie." When she was gone, Jamie ran to Pippa's side. Her face hadn't shifted expression from when she had the phone.

"You ok? What happened?" he asked. Pippa couldn't respond. Scared for her, Jamie placed his hands on her shoulders and led her to the door. His mother was already by the door. Sophie was awake and with her. She was questioning what was going on but no one had time to answer her. The four of them left the house and hurried to the car. Jamie helped Pippa get into her seat in the back.

"Soph, you can have the front" he called to his little sister. Sophie was already climbing into the passenger's seat next to the driver. Jamie strapped himself in beside Pippa. Mrs Bennett started the car and they drove to their destination.

The trip didn't take long as there wasn't much traffic. Mrs Bennett parked the car and walked with her children and Pippa to the entrance of the hospital. She asked Jamie to watch Sophie as she went to speak with the receptionist behind the glass. She explained their desire to visit Pippa's father. The receptionist nodded, telling them which ward they could find him in and to wait a moment as she opened the doors. There was no issue, much to their gratitude. The barricade like doors swung open and granted them access to the inside of the hospital. Locating the right ward was a task made simple thanks to the signs and arrows that pointed them in the right direction. Finally they made it to the place they were keeping him. Pippa pushed her way through the curtains enclosed around her father. She almost collapsed when she saw him. He lay under the white sheets, patches of ash stained his face while burns could be found on several of his limbs. Jamie and his mother held Sophie back as they allowed Pippa to grieve for her father. The slight rise and fall of his chest was no more comforting than his appearance. The percentage of him passing away was still an unknown factor.

Pippa cried by his bedside, not wanting to leave him ever. Seeing her father like this gave her a pain like she'd never felt. Thoughts of losing him came rushing back.

Mrs Bennett slowly came up behind her and stroked the top of her head in a soothing manner. Witnessing her this distraught made her feel just as saddened. She had known Pippa since she was a baby, watching as she grew up alongside her son. She often considered her to be like a second daughter to her. Mrs Bennett was aware of how poorly Pippa's own mother treated her at times. It was because of this that she cared so much for the girl. Pippa more than often considered the Bennett's to be her surrogate family. She knew that theirs was the one place she truly felt accepted and at home, and would always welcome her.

They decided to give her a moment alone with her dad. Mrs Bennett led her two children to the outside of the curtain. She pulled Jamie aside to speak with him alone.

"Did I interrupt something at home?" she asked. Jamie's felt his body flush with embarrassment when he realized she must have been referring to the hug she witnessed in his room.

"What? No I…W-We were just" he stammered, trying to think of what to say that would explain himself to his mother. She smiled at him.

"It's ok, Jamie. You're not in trouble for it" she assured him. He sighed in relief. For a moment he thought she was going to tell him off for helping his friend relax in a time of need. "But do you?"

Her question caught him off guard. "Um, do I what?"

"Do you like her?" Jamie froze. He literally thought his heart had skipped a couple of beats. Was she actually asking him these things? How the hell was he supposed to answer? He could feel his face grow hot as the blush spread outwards from his cheeks.

"I-I…She's just a friend" he managed to choke out, his voice breaking. Seeing him so awkward was more than enough for Mrs Bennett to see the truth behind her son's denial. She assumed she'd made him uncomfortable a sufficient amount.

"Come on then" she said as she turned to go back to where Pippa was with her father. "Let's see how your _friend_ is coping." Keeping his shoulders hunched over and his head as low as possible, he followed her.

* * *

There was nothing left of the fire when Jaz landed in the burnt towns of South Australia. She looked around her, taking in what could only be described as a scene in a horror film. Houses crushed under the weight of trees whose trunks were burnt through to send them crashing down with flaming branches onto whatever lay beneath; the smoke from the flames choking any victim unfortunate enough to breathe it in. Particles of ash floated through the air, a few embers found in the ruins as the only colour left in the grey washed-out atmosphere.

Jaz searched the land for signs of life, or the contrary. All she found was burnt wood and a lost hope that lingered in the very air itself. She walked barefoot through the ash that covered the ground like a layer of snow. She may have lived for over 300 years but that didn't mean seeing the destruction of another fire was made any easier, especially now that she'd found her centre and true purpose. She picked a piece of charred wood from the ground, feeling its blistered texture in her hands. Something started to rise within her. Her hand grasped the handle of her dagger, ripping it out from its receptacle. She drove it into the fragment of the forest she held and started savagely carving the scalded wood away from its outer surface. Once it was stripped bare, she threw its remains down into the ash which blew up around her.

"How am I supposed to protect people with a power that kills?" she yelled up at the moon. The last time she tried to speak with him was when she was chosen as a Guardian. "You gave me this control. How does something that causes this," Her gaze moved over the burnt land, "also create light?"

Her head fell to her chest as if in defeat. "How do I prove to the others that it wasn't me who did this?" she whispered. The moon shone silently as she stood in its faint light. Jaz's head lifted. She held out her hand, a small ring of ash forming in the centre of her palm. She inhaled its familiar scent. She extended her dagger into the air, catching a few specks of the ash on its blade. She touched it with her finger and cautiously drew it up to her nostrils. Its scent was smoky like a recently set fire, the same as hers, but something was different. It had the slightest sweet tinge to it. Jaz recognized the scent almost immediately. Her pupils dilated when she realized who it was behind the fires that had been set.

* * *

**R&R**


	5. Running with the Pack

Jack landed near the forest of Sydney. This place was as sentimental to Jaz as Burgess was for him. It was where she was reborn as Jaz Flame and would always have an attachment to it. Jack came up to the very edge of the trees. He strained his neck up, seeing how the branches of the eucalyptus stretched way up into the sky. Finding her in a forest this size had great potential to be problematic. He stood motionless on the forest's border. With eyes intently focused on finding her, he let off a shrill whistle. The cold winds blew all around him; rushing through the air and making the forest ahead of him shake. Snow and ice clustered in the airstream that curled down from the sky around him. From within the white current, a blurred figure began to form as it reached a lower altitude. A pair of piercing blue eyes shone from the middle of the storm. The snowfall calmed and out of it stepped a majestic creature of purity. The wolf walked towards him with powerful strides in her strong limbs. Her slender body was covered in a pelt of white that shone like a sheet of freshly fallen snow. She came forward to meet him, her long muzzle resting onto his awaiting palm. Jack rubbed his other hand against her soft cheek, accepting the refreshing coolness her fur carried.

"Hey girl" he cooed. She looked up at him with her radiant yet identical eyes, causing Jack to reflect back on their first encounter.

* * *

It had been a couple of years since he and Jaz had become guardians. Since then, the two of them had grown very close. Their friendship from when they were humans had not only been formed again but built upon. Jack's feelings for her had increased to an amount he didn't believe possible. What was once a mere truce may have grown into much more than a friendship, but the two young spirits still enjoyed teasing one another and having the occasional battle to prove the top element.

Jack swung his staff out ahead of him, throwing a blast of ice at Jaz. She leapt to the side, dodging his attack in a way that allowed it to resemble simplicity. She fired her own attack right back at him. Her dagger alit with flames, burning brightly along the blade and up her arm until her body glowed with the eeriness of fire. Jack halted, his eyes pinned on her glowing figure as it rose into the air being supported by the wind. Her flames were undeniably impressive. He wasn't going to let that distract him though. As she readied herself to release the pinnacle of her power, Jack took one final well-aimed shot. The ice exploded from his staff, freezing onto the very tip of her dagger. The frost started to spread across its burning surface and extinguish the flames. It continued, distributing the ice onto the handle of the knife. Jaz was momentarily weakened by the cold. She had to refocus her energy into thawing her weapon. Taking the opportunity whilst she was distracted, Jack's ice shot her out of the sky. She fell to the ground. He strutted over to her, a smug grin planted across his face as he held his staff over his shoulder. Jaz looked up at him, a smile gracing her lips. His eyebrow rose questioningly.

"I beat you" he reminded her. "Why are you happy?"

"Whoever said it was over?" Before he could react to her come back, he was thrown backwards as something rammed forcefully into his side. As he went to pull himself up, two paws planted themselves on his arms. Amber eyes stared down at him, a snarling set of jaws at the ready if he tried anything sneaky. Jack reached out with his hand to try and locate his staff.

"Looking for his?" Jaz's voice sounded from above him. He stretched his neck back to see her leaning over him. She held his staff in hand. He struggled, wanting it back from her. She pulled away and indicated for Blaze to increase the amount of restrain he had over him.

"Say it" Jaz taunted. Jack refused, his head sharply turning away. Blaze growled down in his face.

"Ok, ok. Fire always wins" he muttered with much regret. Jaz gestured to her friend. At once, Blaze jumped off him. She tossed Jack back his staff and started to walk away.

"And don't you forget it."

"It's not fair," Jack called after her, catching her attention. "You've got him." He glanced at Blaze. The tiger licked his lips at the winter spirit, much to his discomfort. Jaz laughed lightly, stroking his fur.

"Just another reason why fire is better" she responded with a shrug of her shoulders. "Not my problem if you can't create your own ally." Her words were powerful and remained in Jack's mind long after she had left.

That night, his thoughts were lost in her departing words. He walked the empty streets of Burgess, heading back towards his home by the lake. He knew Jaz was wrong. He had brought things to life before. He remembered the ice rabbit he had used to restore Jamie's belief in the Guardians. Then again, that creation had only lasted about a minute. He didn't realize how much what Jaz had said actually affected him until he realized he was the only Guardian without a helper or minion of some sort. Jaz had Blaze, obviously. North had the elves and the yetis, while Bunny had his little eggs as well as the larger Sentinels. Tooth had the mini fairies and as for Sandy, he had pretty much any dreamsand creation he wanted. Even Pitch had had his nightmares. Jack suddenly felt alone. He had spent all these years that way, without even thinking of the possibility of having someone to help him.

Thinking about it, he wondered what kind of minion he would have. His eyes were drawn to the full moon. That was it!

He summoned as much power as he could, aiming his staff towards the moon. Its light shone down onto it. He motioned it to the side as the snow started to fall down at a fast rate directly around him. He felt exhausted by the time he was finished. His eyes opened, gazing upon his creation for the first time. The wolf he had designed lay motionless in the snow in front of him. He ran to its side. Its eyes were frozen shut, its body completely still. Jack stroked its coat. It was nothing but snow. He sighed heavily; his dreams of having his own friend having been crushed right before him. His hand moved across its icy body until it was right above where the heart would have been found if it were real. Jack kept his head down in disappointment. He suddenly felt something move beneath his hand. He looked up at it. Below his hand shone a tiny ball of luminous blue light. His eyes wide, he quickly grabbed his staff and touched the end of it to the light. The glow enveloped his staff and outlined his body. He gently pressed the tip of his staff to the snow wolf's heart. At once, the snow that formed its body became a luscious coat of white fur. The eyes of the she wolf flickered, opening slowly. She sat up and shook the extra snow from her pelt back onto the ground. Jack stared wide-eyed at her. She twisted her upper body around to face him, her head tilting as their equally blue eyes met. She clambered to her feet. Jack hesitantly held out his hand towards the wolf. She sniffed it curiously. Her cold nose prodded him in the side. Jack was startled by it, trying not to laugh as she jabbed him in a sensitive and ticklish area beneath his ribs. Having accepted his presence right away, she reared up to place her paws on his shoulders and nuzzled him under his jaw. She used her slender body to slink her way around him. She spotted his staff and immediately dropped into a hunting position. Her body pressed to the ground, moving like a snake across the white land. She sprung into the air and swatted it from his hand with her tail. It landed in the snow not far away from them. As soon as Jack made a move for it, the wolf bolted forward. She was faster than him, batting it out of his reach with her front paws. Jack stared after her as she leapt after it, stopping when it was evenly spaced between them. Her tongue lolled from her jaws as she playfully barked for him to come and get it. When Jack tried, she picked it up in her mouth and jumped back, causing Jack to fall face first into the snow. He dragged himself up and wiped the snow from his face. His wolf stood about a tail's length away from him, the staff still securely held between her jaws. Jack groaned in annoyance. He jumped to his feet. The wolf ran off, Jack right behind her. Back and forth he chased her. Finally he gave up trying to play fair. It was clear to him this wolf had inherited a lot of his traits. He used to wind to get ahead of her. She skidded to a halt, sliding forward on the slippery ground. Jack grabbed the staff at both ends as she slid towards him and tried to seize it back from her.

"Bad wolf!" he shouted, keeping his tone light. "Let it go! Drop it!" She tugged on it forcefully, tripping him over again. He looked up at her, seeing she was still full of vigour, and sighed. The wolf slowly edged her way back to him. When she saw he wasn't getting back up, she dropped the staff at his feet. Jack glanced up at her. Her eyes continued to reflect her playful personality, but at a much more contained level. She was sitting in front of him with her eyes flickering between him and his staff. Jack cautiously bent over and picked it up. She didn't move. Once he had it back, his gaze softened. He gestured for her to come over. She obeyed at once.

"You are one mischievous wolf" he commented, admiring that aspect of her nature. He rubbed his hand over the fur between her ears. He wasn't kidding. She was playful and only wanted to have fun, very much like him, as well as having continuous energy that never seemed to run dry. She was the perfect companion for him.

* * *

Jack looked forward to this battle with Jaz. He knew she'd probably use her devious tactic of allowing him to believe he had won before calling upon Blaze for the final strike. Jack was ready for it this time. This time, Jaz wouldn't know what hit her.

"You sure you want to fight me again Jack?" she asked after he had challenged her. Jack stood opposite her. He could barely contain his excitement.

"What's wrong Pyro?" he taunted, knowing he would hit a nerve by using that nickname. "Scared?" Jaz gritted her teeth.

"You're on." She unsheathed her dagger and threw a wave of fire at him. He rolled out of the way, sending ice shooting back at her. Jaz took the attack head on. She held out her blade in front of her, her flames creating a sort of barricade that melted the ice before it could reach her. She flicked off the small speck of snow that had gotten through and landed on her shoulder. She smirked at him before touching the gemstone to release Blaze. He hurled himself at Jack, knocking him over. He tried to separate him from his staff with his usual trick, but Jack was ready for it. He rotated his body out of his way so that the staff remained in his hand.

"Nice moves" Jaz called to him as Blaze pinned him down. She came over to the two of them. "Too bad Blaze doesn't ever miss his prey. What do you say?" Jack knew what she wanted to hear and he wasn't going to give her the pleasure. He whistled sharply, confusing both Jaz and Blaze.

A white blur shot out from the undergrowth, taking out Blaze. Jaz gasped but before she could act, she was bowled over. She shook her head, gazing up at Jack. He stood over her with his head held high. A white wolf stood by his side, growling at Jaz with her lip drawn back.

"Jaz, meet Blizzard" Jack introduced his wolf to her. Jaz was frozen. She had no idea what to do or say. Since when did Jack have a pet? Jack gave a sly smile. "You really shouldn't have attacked me. See, Blizzard here can be very protective of me. She won't suppress an attack if she thinks I'm being threatened." Jaz knew straight away his words were being used to mock her of how he first encountered Blaze. She glared at him. As she rose to her feet, a roar sounded from behind her. She spun around, ducking as Blaze ran with great haste and leapt into the air. He landed in front of her, defensively shielding her from the new threat of Blizzard. The white wolf jumped forward to meet him confrontationally. Both animals' claws were unsheathed, their eyes locked on each other. Blizzard was first to make a move, dashing forward. Despite already being larger than her, Blaze reared up to heighten his size and frighten her off. Blizzard was quick to move out of his way as he slammed his paws back down; paws that could very well have easily crushed her if she had not been agile enough to avoid them. She leapt onto his back, digging her claws into his spine. She bit down hard on his shoulder. Blaze roared in pain and tried to shake her off.

"Jack, do something!" Jaz screamed as she watched her friend in agony. He managed to toss her to the ground, the pawfuls of his fur that were snagged in her claws going with her. Before she could regain her footing, Blaze clawed at her exposed belly. Blizzard howled as his claws sliced through her pelt and skin.

"Leave her alone!" Jack yelled, running forward to help her. Jaz grabbed Blaze by the scruff of his neck, pulling him off the wolf beneath him.

"Stop it!" she ordered him. Blaze ceased his growling and stared at Jaz with confused eyes as to why she was lecturing him for protecting her. Jaz didn't have time to explain to him, just so long as he had stopped. She glanced over her shoulder at Jack. He crouched beside Blizzard. She had a gash down her stomach which thankfully wasn't too deep. He held her head in his lap as he soothed her whimpers with his voice. Jaz slowly came over to where he was. Blaze trailed behind her, keeping his distance. He was still unsure about this new animal of Jack's.

"Hey Blizzard, you're doing great girl" he murmured, stroking her head tenderly. She licked his hand for comfort.

"Will she be alright?" Jaz asked, kneeling down by the wolf's side.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, the wound doesn't look that severe. She just needs rest I think." Jaz smiled to hear that. Her head shook from side to side.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Jack gave her a questioning glance. "Did you really think bringing an actual wolf to a dogfight would be a good idea? Surely you knew I'd summon Blaze. Didn't you even venture a guess as to how they'd react with each other given that he's made of fire as she is with ice?" Jack's vacant expression was more than enough of an answer for Jaz. She sighed softly, her amusement of his naivety shining through.

"We better get her home."

* * *

Blizzard was quick to heal. She and Blaze remained rivals, despite their masters being at peace with one another. Jack guessed it would be a long time before they would get along, if ever, so it was best to keep them apart to avoid another clash. Like Blaze, Blizzard had abilities of her own. He had named her after the snowstorm produced whenever he summoned her. She was able to divide herself into many replicas to help Jack bring snow to various areas all at once, becoming the alpha of her own pack. Blizzard was special to Jack. In the short amount of time she had lived, in relation to himself, she had developed her personality and reputation amongst the other Guardians. She would often accompany him in his endeavours at the Pole, much to the annoyance of the yetis who she'd start playing with to interrupt their work. She loved messing with them and the elves almost as much as she did getting under Bunny's skin. When Jack had brought her to see Jamie for the first time, the poor kid almost fainted. Jack later regretted not having warned him beforehand. Most of the Guardians accepted her like they did Blaze, though would not hesitate to berate Jack if and when she made a mess of things.

Jack kept his hand on her frosty coat as his gaze wandered off to Jaz's forest. The wind lifted him from the ground and lowered him gently down onto her back. He leant forward to speak close to her ear.

"Find Jaz" he murmured. With him riding her, she darted off through the trees. Jack was confident Blizzard knew her scent and would have no trouble finding her.

* * *

**Credit to ihearthorses6000 for the suggestion of Jack's ice pet. Great minds think alike. **

**There was no real confusion as to what his pet should be. He is very much like a wolf. They are both cunning yet loyal, compassionate and mischievous. Playful but with a much fiercer side to them that should not be messed with. Jack had lived much like a lone wolf for all those years but had always wanted the companionship of family (another wolf-like trait). Plus, just to add a bit more, he cried to the moon much like a certain animal. If you ask me, Jack and wolf are perfect. **


End file.
